A Statistics Canada Minute - Regional Demography

Description of visuals

(The video title "A Statistics Canada Minute - Regional Demography", the Statistics Canada identifier and the Canada wordmark appear on the screen.)

(Cinematic shots of Canadians moving about)

National demographics can often mask major regional differences.For example, the rate of population growth in Canada remained quite stable over the last 20 years,averaging 1% growth per year.

(A blue map of Canada appears which is then populated with the percentage "+ 1%".)

But trends at the national level hide some striking regional differences.

(The map of Canada is populated with the names of the provinces and territories as well as the percentage changes of population for each of the provinces and territories. The percentage changes are: British Columbia, +1.1%, Alberta, +2.9%, Saskatchewan +1.7%, Manitoba +1.3%, Ontario +0.9%, Quebec +0.7%, New Brunswick -0.2%, Nova Scotia -0.03%, Prince Edward Island +0.5%, Newfoundland and Labrador -0.2%, Yukon +0.4%, Northwest Territories –0.5%, Nunavut +3.2%.)

Among provinces, the rate of growth was close to 3% in Alberta.In contrast, population declined in three Atlantic Provinces:New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.

(The camera zooms in on Alberta and then on the Atlantic Provinces.)

The rate of growth in Alberta in the last two years was among the highest in more than 30 years.If growth were to continue at this rate, the population of the province would double in about 25 years.

(The screen shows the map of Alberta on the left. On the right, there are animations representing persons of both genders and of different age groups under the two headings of 2011 and 2036.)

Low population growth is likely to continue in Atlantic Provinces.

(The camera zooms in on the Atlantic Provinces and the screen shows decreasing percentage changes of the population for Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.)

For the first time recently, some of these provinces registered negative natural increase,meaning that more deaths than births occurred in these provinces.

(The screen shows cinematic shots of people moving around. The text "Negative natural increase" then appears. The cinematic shots of people moving around fade out and are replaced with images of a graveyard and of a new-born baby.)

With population aging, the difference between deaths and births is likely to grow.

(The screen shows images of seniors reading books.)

Therefore, any future population growth which might take placewould be most likely to come either from immigration or interprovincial migration.

(The screen shows faded-out cinematic shots of people moving around in the background. In the foreground, the words "Atlantic population growth? Immigration, Interprovincial migration" appear.)

In Quebec, Ontario and B.C., international migratory increasehas been the key driver of population growth for some time.

(The screen shows the map of Canada and the words "International migratory increase". Animated images of a plane, a bus and a ship fly in from the right, the left and the bottom of the screen respectively. Animated persons appear on the maps of Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia, which are then replaced with black "+" signs.)

In recent years, international migration has become the key driver inof growth Manitoba and Saskatchewan as well.

(Animated persons appear on the maps of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, which are then replaced with red "+" signs.)

(The screen shows the map of Canada and the words "interprovincial migration". The animated images of a baby, a ship, a bus and a plane appear on the left of the screen while several animated persons are shown to be moving to Alberta from others part of Canada. A black "+" sign is placed on Alberta on the map.)

However, in all provinces east of Saskatchewan,interprovincial migration had a negative impact on population growth.

(Red "-" signs are placed on Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador on the map.)

Finally, natural increase remained the key factor for population growth in Nunavut,which had the highest fertility in Canada at close to 3 children per woman.

(The screen shows a cinematic shot of a new-born baby, followed by that of young children and an adult woman playing with toy food.)

In the future, the differences among regions in the drivers of population growthmay lead to more pronounced differences from one region to the next and to a different Canada.

(The screen shows the map of Canada with changing colours for the provinces and territories.)

Some regions will likely have higher ethnocultural diversity,while others might have a higher proportion of seniors.

(The screen shows the map of Canada on the left. British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec are highlighted in red, and the words "Ethnocultural diversity" appear on the right. When the words "Higher proportion of seniors" appear, the four Atlantic provinces are highlighted in green.)

The point is, contrasts in population growth and factors of growthcan have many implications for Canadians:

(The map of Canada is enlarged.)

Shifts in political influence and interests,

(Within the map of Canada, there are cinematic shots of people casting votes at a voting place.)

Shifts in needs related to social programs and infrastructure,

(Within the map of Canada, there are cinematic shots of moving buses and cars as well as of young people walking on the sidewalk of a street.)

Shifts in labour force and economic dependencies.

(Within the map of Canada, there are cinematic shots of construction workers.)

Find out more about Canadian demography at statcan.gc.ca.

(A white screen appears with the Statistics Canada identifier at the top left hand corner, and a hand holding a marker and a red checkmark at the opposite corner. Statistics Canada website address www.statcan.gc.ca, appears in the middle of the screen.)

A Statistics Canada minute was made possible by:

the Census of Canada,

The 2011 National Household Survey,

and the Population Estimates Program

(Against the same background, we now see the text "A Statistics Canada minute was made possible by: the Census of Canada, the 2011 National Household Survey and the Population Estimates Program".)